Taurus 809 9mm Pistol: New Taurus 800 Handgun Series

by: Richard Johnson 28 Comments

The Taurus 809 pistol is a polymer handgun that offers a lot of value for a modest price. Â The new pistol is chambered in 9mm and uses 17 round magazines. Â This gun has a 4″ barrel and weighs slightly more than 30 ounces when it is unloaded.

The gun is an odd mix of actions. Â Instead of being a traditional double-action/single-action, it is a single-action/double-action pistol. Â This means the first and all subsequent shots are a light, short single action trigger pull. Â However, should the gun ever fail to fire, the next shot will be a double action trigger pull. Â Why, might you ask, is that?

Ruger SP101 and the 327 Federal Magnum

by: Richard Johnson 7 Comments

Over the weekend, Sturm, Ruger & Co. announced on the national radio program Gun Talk, that they have teamed up with Federal to bring a new handgun cartridge to the market: the 327 Federal Magnum.

The idea is this: to break open the segment of the back-up gun/self defense market that is currently occupied by the five-shot .38/.357 revolvers. How do they expect to make inroads into this lucrative market niche? By developing a more powerful cartridge than a .38 Special, and make room for six rounds in the cylinder.

This is how they have done it: they have married the venerable .32 caliber handgun bullet with the higher pressures allowable due to the strength of modern metallurgy. The end result? How about a 115 grain Gold Dot running at 1300 fps out of a 3″ barrel? Oh, and that is with a 20% reduction in recoil as compared to a .357 Magnum.

That isnâ€™t too shabby.

Ruger SR9 Pistol: New Handgun for Serious Self Defense

by: Richard Johnson 3 Comments

Sturm, Ruger and Company has released a new combat pistol for police work and self-defense: the SR9.

The SR9 is Rugerâ€™s first striker-fired pistol, and it features a glass-filled nylon frame. Â Essentially this is a polymer that has been reinforced with fiberglas to be extremely tough and durable. Â It is comprable to a Glock or M&P handgun. Â It is a full-size gun, not compact. Â Even so, the pistol is relatively thin and could be used for concealed carry. Â Width is only 1.27″.

Interestingly, even for a larger gun, the pistol is lightweight. Â Unloaded, the SR9 weighs 26.5 ounces. Â This isn’t much heavier than many compact pistols, and is a lot lighter than many full size guns.

The handgun is initially offered in 9mm (9Ã—19), with other calibers being introduced at a later date. Â (Editor’s note: Â Since the original introduction of the Ruger SR9, the company introduced several other pistols in this line including compact versions and the .40 S&W and .45 ACP calibers.) Â Full capacity magazines hold 17 rounds, which is adequate for both personal defense and law enforcement. Â For less-free states, ten round magazines are available. Â It is not known if the company will make super-low-capacity mags for New York.

The backstrap on the frame is removable, so the shooter may adjust the overall circumference of the grip to best fit his or her hand. Â This has become a pretty standard feature on many major handguns during the past decade.

LaserMax Introduces the Uni-Max Green Laser for Combat Firearms

by: Richard Johnson Leave a Comment

LaserMax introduced a new laser aiming device using green light. The unit is capable of being used on both pistols and rifles. Due to its compact profile, it should work very well with even smaller handguns.

Based on the scientific research, green is easier than red for the human eye to see – especially under high stress. Additionally, green is much brighter and easier to see during daylight conditions. Â So, this laser has the potential of being a much better targeting device for self defense and law enforcement.

This laser unit mounts to the accessory rail of handguns, as opposed to an internal laser that LaserMax has produced in the past. The laser unit is supposed to be very light (about one ounce). Â The Uni-Max will also mount to the Picatinny rail on a rifle. Â Remote switches are available for this purpose.

New SIG P250 Pistol at IACP Convention

by: Richard Johnson 11 Comments

The Shooting Wire is reporting that SIG SAUERÂ will be releasing a new full-sized pistol, the SIG P250, this weekend at the International Association of Chiefs of Police convention. The firearm has different sized polymer grips/frames that the metal receiver drops down into. A few of these have been seen in some of the consumer gun magazines, but this will be the first time most of us will be able to put our hands on one.

The P250 has a stainless steel chassis that is the serial numbered part considered the firearm for legal purposes. Â That chassis is the only thing regulated by federal and state laws. Â So, the owner can literally buy new frames, barrels and slides of any size, caliber and color and swap the chassis into them. Â So one gun can transform into anything the circumstances may dictate. Â The owner, meanwhile, can save a lot of cash because one gun can serve many roles.

The P250 works great for law enforcement agencies also, as the single gun can be modified to fit anyone’s hand, regardless of size. Â Additionally, if the officer changesÂ assignments, the gun can change with them. Â A patrol officer with a full size pistol can merely reconfigure the same gun for something smaller if he or she moves to an undercover position.